by Mark Murton

Starring: Max

Directed by: J.T. Petty

This review contains a Severe Kitty Carnage Warning!

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some MAJOR spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: Virgil (Edmond Mercier) is an elderly man living alone in a small cabin in the woods. Things become strange after he searches for his wayward cat and witnesses the murder of a little girl (Sarah Ingerson).

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): The film is divided into chapters. Chapter One’s title card reads: “In which we are introduced to Virgil Manoven; his very bad cat runs off.” The longhair bicolor tabby cat (who the end credits reveal is called Harpo) is sitting in the window of the cabin where he lives with Virgil.

Virgil awakes and starts to prepare his breakfast as Harpo turns to watch.

Virgil puts on some eggs to boil and then goes to fetch his morning paper from the end of the drive. On his return he opens the door to enter the cabin but steps back as Harpo emerges and trots off.

As Virgil goes inside to collect Harpo’s favourite toy to entice him back, Harpo runs off into the woods that surround the cabin.

Harpo reappears in Chapter Three when a young woman (Mia Todd) who is part of a search party spots the cat and slowly approaches. Harpo holds his ground.

As the girl gets closer he moves towards her outstretched hand to sniff.

Harpo is seen again at the end of Chapter Three watching from up the hill overlooking the cabin. He is in the same position (as it’s from the same footage!?) at the start of Chapter Four.

Harpo is sitting near the cabin as Virgil returns from collecting his morning paper again.

Virgil tries to encourage Harpo to come to him but as he gets closer the cat runs off into the woods.

Harpo’s final appearance comes in the ominously titled Chapter Eight: “Regarding the death of a cat.” Harpo is sitting on the porch outside the cabin.

His face is soon lit up by the lights of Virgil’s car as he returns home after a harrowing night that resolved the mystery of what he witnessed earlier (and presumably for which he blames Harpo as he wouldn’t have seen it if he hadn’t been in the woods looking for him).

Virgil approaches Harpo who looks up at him.

Reaching down, Virgil picks Harpo up . . .

Severe Kitty Carnage Warning! . . . and placing his hands around his neck starts to squeeze.

What happens next goes unseen, though the sound of a neck snapping and a blurred shape dropping through the frame down to the ground leaves us in no doubt that the chapter heading has duly come to pass.

The cat actor, Max, was the family pet of director J.T. Petty.

Final Mewsings: Some cats don’t run far enough away!

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